'Mr. Everybody's Business'

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

With kind hearts and in the spirit of giving, a group of
Montgomery County Court employees has organized a fundraiser to assist
veterans - a way, they say, to “give back to those who gave so much.”

Dubbed “Stars and Strikes For Vets,” the event, open to
court clerks, reporters and other courthouse employees, will be held Dec. 2 at
Facenda Whitaker Lanes in East Norriton from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Donations of $30
will include unlimited bowling and pizza. The deadline to register is Friday,
so get out your bowling shoes for a great cause.

Organizers said the proceeds of the fundraiser will be
donated to “Vets for Vets,” a nonprofit organization that assists returning local
veterans during their readjustment from military to civilian life, including
helping vets find transitional housing.

Contact court clerk Ali Hasapes at AHasapes@montcopa.org for
more information, to register or to make a donation.

Initially, organizers thought a bowling party would be a
great way for court clerks and court stenographers to bond with one another.
But a greater endeavor soon took root.

“One day we were sitting down and thought that it would be a
nice idea to bowl for a purpose. We tossed some ideas around and we realized
that the vets would be a great choice for our fundraiser,” explained Lisa Neal,
a court stenographer and the daughter of an Army veteran and the sister of a
Navy veteran.

Neal also works in the courtroom of President Judge William
J. Furber Jr., who presides over the county’s Veteran’s Court.

Hasapes, granddaughter of an Army vet, said the idea “took
off nicely” and gained lots of support. To date, about 35 county employees have
signed up to bowl. Others have simply donated money to the cause.

Ali Hasapes (left) and Lisa Neal (right)/Photo by Carl Hessler Jr.

“Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive of it,” said
Hasapes, court clerk for Judge Thomas C. Branca. “We are competing against the
holidays so to everyone who has already signed up or given donations, I want to
thank you for the support.”

The organizers have also set up collection boxes at two
locations in the courthouse for people to donate personal care items, such as
shampoo, body wash, shaving cream and toothpaste, which will be presented to
veterans in gift baskets.

“I think this is just a way to show them that people care,”
said Neal. “Everybody at some point in their life needs a little bit of help,
no matter who they are. It shows people that society does have a heart.

“We live in such a fast-paced world that just to take the
time out to say, ‘Thank you,’ it means a lot to anybody, especially men and
women who have (served their country) and seen the things they’ve seen or lived
through the things they’ve lived through,” Neal added.

Hasapes said the donation to “Vets for Vets” is even more poignant
because it’s being made in memory of Eric J. D’Ercole, a 34-year-old popular
court clerk who passed away unexpectedly on April 10 at his Phoenixville
residence. D’Ercole was a graduate of St. Pius X High School and was a retired
Army veteran, having served in Bravo Company 1-111th IN.

I’m sure the veterans are appreciative of the support and
gratitude. The small gathering of compassionate people will make a big
impression on those you help.

I commend Neal and Hasapes for spearheading the event. You
are a great example of county employees going the extra mile to help others. Your
kindness and generosity should serve as an inspiration to others, especially as
the holiday season approaches.

Compliments to Montgomery County Sheriff and U.S. Army Lt. Col. Sean
P. Kilkenny and county Recorder of Deeds Jeanne Sorg for partnering to promote
the innovative Veterans Photo Discount Card program that allows veterans to get
discounts at approximately 500 local businesses.

To draw attention to the program, Kilkenny recently recorded
his military discharge with the Recorder of Deeds Office and received his free
veterans ID merchant discount card.

“It's great to have Sheriff Kilkenny partner with us to help
spread the word about how important it is for veterans to record their
discharge paperwork, so that they and their families get the benefits they have
earned," said Sorg.

Montco Sheriff Sean Kilkenny/ Photo Courtesy of Sheriff's Office

The special ID cards enable veterans to receive discounts at
approximately 500 Montgomery County businesses including financial service
providers, food retailers, healthcare service providers, car dealerships, real
estate agents, property management services and more. Local businesses also receive the benefit of
free program advertising, and building stronger relationships with local vets.

Veterans can also receive military funeral and other death
benefits by recording their discharge.
So far, 8,000 of the estimated 50,000 vets in the county are registered
for the discount card program, which began in 2012.

“Words of appreciation for those whom have served our
country are always nice,” said Kilkenny.
“But, showing gratitude with action can be much more valuable for the
vet and the business owner.”

Veterans who would like to apply for a free discount ID card
can stop by the Recorder of Deeds office at One Montgomery Plaza, 3rd floor,
Swede and Airy Streets, Norristown.
Applicants only need to bring their DD2-14 discharge papers and a photo
ID. Registration is free and takes
approximately 15 minutes.

Montco Officials Jeanne Sorg & Sean Kilkenny/ Submitted Photo

“I'm happy to be able to provide Veterans Discount ID cards,
which are good at hundreds of businesses around Montgomery County,” said
Sorg. “These cards are available thanks
to donors who wish to serve our veterans.”

I'm sure that veterans throughout the county appreciate the program.

Check out the Recorder of Deeds website for more information
about the program.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Current Montgomery County Commissioner and Pennsylvania
Attorney General-elect Josh Shapiro was in the national spotlight Monday
evening as he participated in a conference call with Democratic National
Committee (DNC) members and stakeholders, to discuss the election and what’s
next for the party. Shapiro was selected to introduce President Barack Obama to
the national audience of Democrats.

It was a one-way call and members of the media were invited
to listen in, although we did not have the opportunity to ask questions.

The president called in as Donna Brazile, interim chair of
the DNC, was addressing the party faithful, applauding Obama’s “extraordinary
leadership.”

“Mr. President, I was trying to tell the world how much we
love you and how much you’ve done for all of us and I have with me Josh
Shapiro, who just won a fantastic race in Pennsylvania and I want to turn it
over to Josh to give you a proper introduction,” Brazile said.

At the mention of Shapiro’s name, Obama uttered warmly, “Love
that guy!”

“In the president’s second inaugural address he said, “We
must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect. We must act, knowing that
today’s victories will be only partial and that it will be up to those who
stand here in four years, in 40 years and 400 years hence to advance the
timeless spirit once conferred to us in a spare Philadelphia hall.’”

Speaking just blocks from that hall, Shapiro said he wanted
to “offer a little bit of solace.”

“Secretary (Hillary) Clinton won the popular vote. But you
should also know that even in this battleground state, where we lost the big
race, here in Pennsylvania, folks voted for an attorney general who will
protect people’s rights, defend working people against a rip-off economy and
secure the gains we’ve made under President Obama. And that message won more
votes than any other on the ballot,” Shapiro said as Obama listened in. “In
other words, this progressive voice in a competitive race in what ended up
being a red state, still won.”

In Nov. 8 balloting, Shapiro had a strong showing,
statewide. He received more votes than Clinton and Republican President-elect
Donald J. Trump, according to unofficial results.

Shapiro told party faithful they have a voice and that it
makes a difference.

“It will be heard and I encourage you to use it and to run
for office and not to let our future be shaped by others, that we all must do
our part,” Shapiro said. “I am keenly aware of the anxiety that many Americans
feel right now and I’m determined to be a champion for Pennsylvanians. As the
incoming chief law enforcement officer here in the commonwealth, I will do my
part to protect people’s rights, stand up for the values that make our country
strong and bring fairness to our justice system.

“But now it’s up to you to do the same for your constituents…If
we hear the president’s words and each do our part to strengthen our union in
our own ways and in our own communities at a grassroots level, our reach, our
power and our effect will be endless,” Shapiro added.

“And so perhaps the lesson that we must draw from Tuesday is
that we can’t rely on others to do this work for us. We must be the change and
do our part. Scripture teaches us that no one is required to complete the task
but neither are we free to refrain from it,” Shapiro added.

“This president has laid the groundwork, he has accomplished
so much and his vision continues to be a North Star for many of us. I know I
will be guided by it and generations of public servants will be too. We
understood when the president came on the scene and we need to remember now
that we are required for change to happen,” Shapiro continued.

“We knew it would take us, our work, our efforts, our voices
– it wouldn’t be just done by elected leaders, it would fall to each of us. And
the leader of that effort, who has shown us time and time again, the strength of
the American people, of people he will always bet on and never bet against, is
our President Barack Obama. And it is my huge honor to introduce him at this
time to this important group at this momentous moment to say a few words to all
of us. Mr. President, the line is yours. Thank you for this honor,” Shapiro
concluded.

Obama replied, “Josh, thank you for the amazing
introduction.”

One can assume that was an extremely proud moment for Shapiro,
one I’m sure he will never forget.

Obama went on to thank his supporters, praised Clinton’s
historic nomination and candidacy for taking a step toward shattering the
so-called “glass ceiling” and urged the party faithful not to lose faith.

“That doesn’t mean we don’t hurt for what was an unexpected
loss,” Obama said. “I was telling my team you’re allowed to mope for a week and
a half, maybe two if you really need it, but after that we gotta brush
ourselves off and get back to work. We gotta come together and focus on a way
ahead…It means that we’re listening to each other, we’re reflecting, we’re
asking tough questions, we’re respectful of different points of view.”

As a private citizen, Obama said he won’t stop “working on
behalf of the things that I care about.”

“The bottom line is that, I don’t know about you all, but I’m
still fired up and I’m still ready to go,” Obama concluded.

Brazile ended the call by thanking Shapiro for his “tremendous
leadership.”

“I know you have a lot of work ahead, your service to the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thank you so much and I hope you’re with us as we
begin our work in focusing on the future. Thank you for your great leadership
as well,” Brazile said.

“Thank you, you can count on it,” Shapiro responded.

Sounds like Shapiro is “fired up and ready to go”
as the state’s next attorney general. We’ll be watching.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Entertainer Bill Cosby will be back in a Montgomery County
courtroom next month.

At that time, Judge Steven T. O’Neill is expected to rule
on District Attorney Kevin R. Steele’s request to allow 13 other women, who
accused Cosby of uncharged sexual misconduct from the 1960s through the 1990s,
to testify at Cosby’s trial on charges he sexually assaulted one woman, Andrea
Constand, at his Cheltenham mansion in 2004.

Last week, Steele and Deputy District Attorney Robert Falin argued
the women should be permitted to testify at Cosby’s trial for the alleged
assault of Constand under rules governing so-called “prior bad acts” to prove
Cosby engaged in a “common scheme or plan” or a so-called unique “signature”
they claim is shown across the stories of his accusers. Prosecutors contend there are
similarities between Cosby’s alleged prior bad conduct and Constand’s
allegations.

Bill Cosby arrest photo/Courtesy Montco DA

After the hearing, it became clear the judge must
decide whether he will conduct “in camera” reviews, private interviews held in
a judge’s chambers, of the women. Defense lawyer Brian J. McMonagle, who is
trying to keep the testimony of the 13 women out of Cosby’s trial next June,
wants the judge to carefully review and weigh what the other alleged accusers
have to say before their testimony is permitted at trial.

“I want you to find out as gatekeeper what’s going on here.
What might be wrong in Denmark,” McMonagle told O’Neill, questioning the
reliability of the testimony and the motives of the 13 other women, 10 of whom
he claimed are represented by high-profile, civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred,
and have been paraded in front of the media.

Allred attended last week’s hearing and appeared to listen
attentively as her name was brought up.

Gloria Allred/Photo by Carl Hessler Jr.

O'Neill sked McMonagle and co-defense lawyer Angela C.
Agrusa to propose a specific plan for the judge to interview the women
privately. O’Neill indicated he may or may not consider it.

Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O'Neill

Steele has already outlined the claims of each of the 13
women, some aspiring actresses and models, in court papers, keeping their
identities a secret, identifying them only as “Prior Victim One through
Thirteen.”

“That’s our offer of proof on what we’re asking the court to
rule on,” said Steele, adding he is willing to submit redacted statements of
each of the proposed witnesses to the judge to support what he already revealed
in court papers.

Steele doesn’t want the redacted statements released publicly.

McMonagle said the judge should not accept the prosecution’s
composite at face value, rather, the judge should review the accusers’ actual,
individual stories.

Last week’s hearing abruptly turned heated when Steele
lashed out at defense lawyers for publicly naming some of the women when they
responded in court papers to Steele’s request to allow the 13 women to testify.

Montco DA Kevin R. Steele

“It’s another attempt to intimidate witnesses. Some of these
people have not been in the press and (the defense) identified them and it’s
wrong,” Steele bellowed. “They make a public filing. It’s to put it out in
public, to put it out in the press.”

“I’m surprised Mr. Steele went there today. No one has done
anything inappropriate. We didn’t make an unfettered disclosure of anything,”
McMonagle, his voice raised, responded, claiming many of the 13 women have
already held press conferences on their own.

“This is a crucial time in this courthouse and the criminal
justice system,” said McMonagle, adding citizens are supposed to have the
presumption of innocence. “But the pendulum has swung and I’ve never seen it
swung to the point it has now.

“Someone wants to call them victims. I call them accusers.
These are accusations,” McMonagle added.

Brian J. McMonagle/Photo by Carl Hessle r Jr.

McMonagle suggested the pendulum has swung to the point
prosecutors can propose bringing in witnesses who have nothing to do with
Constand “to attack a man’s liberty…and they want to point fingers and say that
we don’t have a right to identify them?”

“The pendulum has swung,” McMonagle reiterated angrily.

One thing is certain, more legal fireworks are likely between Steele and McMonagle as Cosby's case winds its way through the court system.

Stay tuned. Cosby returns to Montgomery County Court for
pretrial hearings Dec. 13 and Dec. 14. Mr. Everybody’s Business will be there.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

Those working at the Montgomery County Courthouse are about
to see two new faces guarding courtrooms and conducting prisoner transports. Sheriff
Sean P. Kilkenny and Chief Deputy T. Michael Beaty welcomed two new deputies,
during a recent swearing-in ceremony at the courthouse in Norristown.

"As we begin to look at another round of applicants
next week, we will continue to focus on bringing in the absolute best and
motivated candidates to serve our diverse county population," Kilkenny
said.

Lower Gwynedd resident Sylvester Gomes is a graduate of the
Montgomery County Community College Police Academy and a U.S. Army National
Guard infantry sergeant, who has earned the U.S. Army Achievement Medal, U.S.
Army Reserve Component Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign
Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, and other awards. Gomes also served as a U.S. Marine Corps
Reserves machine gunner, and is a graduate of Abington Senior High School.

Deputy Kayla Oelschlager is a graduate of Upper Perkiomen
High School, where she played lacrosse and was the captain of the water polo
team. Oelschlager is also a certified
veterinary assistant and resides in Pennsburg.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Before the ink was even dry on the sentencing sheet for
former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane, comments came flooding
in from those currently in charge of the office and those running in the
upcoming election to succeed her.

Kathleen Kane/Photo from Mercury Video by Carl Hessler Jr.

“Today is another sad day for the Commonwealth and its
citizens. The Office of Attorney General is moving forward with steps to
restore the public’s confidence in the work that we do and the way that we do
it,” said Bruce R. Beemer, Kane’s former top deputy who was appointed to run
the office after Kane’s perjury conviction and resignation in August. “The men
and women of the OAG are dedicated public servants who do their jobs with
integrity on a daily basis. That is what the public expects and deserves.”

Beemer, who was Kane’s chief of the criminal prosecution
section, testified for prosecutors against Kane during her August trial.

Beemer testified at trial that Kane “was not happy” when she
read a March 2014 Philadelphia Inquirer article that was “critical” of her.
Prosecutors alleged that’s when Kane decided to retaliate against a former
agent, who she blamed for the negative publicity, by orchestrating the release
to a reporter of secret information regarding a 2009 grand jury investigation
that the agent supervised and then didn’t pursue charges.

A news article with the secret information was published in
June 2014.

“I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it,” Beemer testified in
August about seeing the article, adding it caused him to suspect a leak in the
attorney general’s office. “I viewed it as quite problematic.”

Kane, 50, was sentenced to 10 to 23 months in jail and 8
years of probation on perjury and abuse of power charges. She remains free on
bail while appealing her conviction.

The two candidates running in the Nov. 8 election to replace
Kane also issued statements after her sentencing.

Joshua Shapiro/Photo by Carl Hessler Jr.

“In August, a jury of her peers determined Kathleen Kane’s
guilt and today the court sentenced her to a prison term, showing that no one
is above the law,” said Josh Shapiro, the Democrat for attorney general in the
Nov. 8 election. “As the people’s attorney general, I’ll lead with integrity as
I have throughout my career in public service and always protect the rights,
safety and health of each and every Pennsylvanian. I will enforce the law
without the fear or favor and work tirelessly to heal the breach of trust that
exists in our justice system.”

Republican attorney general candidate John Rafferty said
this:

“Today marks another sad chapter for the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and the Office of Attorney General. This entire episode is a stark
reminder of the damages of putting an individual in the Office of Attorney
General who lacks the requisite experience for the office and is driven more by
blind political ambition than doing what’s in the best interests of our
Commonwealth. That is why I have pledged to only serve as our next attorney
general and not run for higher office. My opponent refuses to take this pledge.
As our next attorney general, I will restore integrity and public confidence to
the office and refocus our efforts on protecting the people of Pennsylvania.”

Whoever wins the election will have their work cut out for
them. Two of Kane’s former coworkers testified Monday that the criminal
investigation of their leader hurt the agency and created a demoralizing
atmosphere.

“It was like a poisonous cloud over every corner of the
office. The climate in there had become intolerable,” said Clarke Madden, a
former deputy attorney general in the criminal law division, adding all
employees of the agency were affected by the investigation and Kane's reaction to it. “It was like
dancing on a trap door.”

Erik Olsen, currently a chief deputy attorney general who’s
had a 30-year legal career, said, “Personally, this has been the worst three
years of my professional career.”

Olsen testified he initially was “thrilled” when Kane was
elected and attended her inauguration in 2012. Olsen believed Kane would be a
good addition to an office he believed in the past had a “misogynistic”
atmosphere.

But Olsen said things soon changed and he saw Kane becoming
more “isolated.”

“Through a pattern of systematic firings and Nixonian
espionage, she created a terror zone in this office,” Olsen testified.

Kane's former coworkers said the scandal hurt the reputation of
the state office and agents carried it on their backs into every courtroom in
the state. Other law enforcement agencies didn’t want to work with the attorney
general’s office and victims didn’t trust the agency, they said.

“We’re trying to repair relationships with law enforcement.
It’s been a difficult two years,” Olsen said.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

[NOTE:Former Pennsylvania Attorney General
Kathleen Margaret Kane faces sentencing Monday, Oct. 24 after a jury convicted
her of charges of perjury and abuse of power, finding she orchestrated the
illegal disclosure of secret grand jury information to the media and engaged in
acts designed to cover up her conduct. She faces a possible maximum sentence of
12 to 24 years in prison. Prosecutors are seeking prison time; defense is
seeking probation or house arrest.]

As Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele
prepares for Kathleen Kane’s sentencing hearing, he has, in court papers,
notified Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy of his opinion that Kane’s decision to
resign as attorney general two days after her conviction is not a mitigating
factor to consider for a lesser sentence.

Montco DA Kevin R. Steele

“Kane may well argue to the court at sentencing that her
decision to resign as attorney general on August 17, 2016, two days after her
conviction, is evidence of her remorse and should be considered as a mitigating
factor for sentencing,” Steele and Deputy District Attorney Thomas W.
McGoldrick wrote in court papers. “Such an argument would ring hollow.”

Steele maintained the Constitution of Pennsylvania provides
that civil officers “shall be removed on conviction of misbehavior in office or
of any infamous crime.” Citing state law, Steele said a crime is infamous “if
its underlying facts establish a felony, a crimen
falsi offense, or a like offense involving the charge of falsehood that
affects the public administration of justice.”

“The removal of a civil officer after conviction of an
infamous crime is to occur at the time of sentencing for the infamous crime,
and the removal is imposed by the trial judge as part of the sentence,” Steele
and McGoldrick contend.

Accordingly, Steele argued, following her conviction on Aug.
15 “of several infamous crimes,” Kane would have been automatically removed
from office by a judge at her Oct. 24 sentencing hearing, pursuant to the
Pennsylvania Constitution.

“Thus, her resignation on August 17 was not a sign of
remorse or her part. Rather, it merely sped up what was a foregone conclusion
by about nine weeks,” Steele and McGoldrick argued. “As such, Kane’s decision
to resign should not be given any consideration as a mitigating factor at
sentencing.”